Google announced today that Google.org, the company's philanthropic arm, is giving a $2.65 million grant to the Energy Foundation to support policy reforms that will "lead to more intelligent energy use".

Specifically, the grant will focus on electricity rates, access to electricity markets, and open data policies. The aim is for consumers to make more efficient use of their electricity, by shifting their use to times when its cheaper and producing their own on-site energy. They also want to see access for consumers and businesses so they can be compensated for cutting energy use at key times. Finally, with policy reforms, they want to see consumers given access to their own energy data for their own use and sharing with third parties of their choosing.

"These policy reforms, coupled with the new technologies now being deployed on a large scale, can empower consumers to make smarter energy choices, improve real-time management of the electricity grid, and help facilitate more renewable energy all while lowering overall costs," said Michael Terrell, Senior Policy Counsel, Engergy & Sustainability on the Google.org blog.

"We hope this grant will help catalyze change and look forward to seeing progress in the years to come," he adds.